Sunday, April 15, 2012

Crew Game 5, Mess (PHI)

Just when I thought I'd acclimated myself to Major League Soccer I get this. 30 called fouls, 6 yellows and a handball in the box.

1ST HALF

Crew fans got to see a different attacking tandem since Emilio Renteria was left to stew on the bench. There was some improvement in attacking half play due, in small part, to Schoenfeld and Vargas pairing. Schoenfeld (after he was done injuring players, both Union and Crew) settled and showed that he was more willing to work with the Crew MF instead of just turning and attacking (a la Renteria). Vargas has already shown the ability and willingness to work the ball around as well.

If you are a Crew fan/supporter don't let that drama at the top of the Crew formation fool you into thinking that is the problem, though. It's not. The Crew middle is a complete mess.

For yesterday's game we saw Gaven and Finlay everywhere and Mirosevic nowhere.

.

You know what. I don't want to go any further with this game. "Close down the man with the ball" in Polish, must also mean "Chop him down".

Nowak and Warzycha have had a few years to shape their clubs into images of themselves. What you, FAN, get from these guys is what we saw yesterday. High profile coaching ego benchings (Renteria / Adu) and violent, dangerous play. If you have the wrong players for that type of game, then more often than not, those things lead to frustrated players and lack of effort.

EFFORT should never be the problem. Not in soccer, nor in life.

2ND HALF

Fouls, couple hot headed Poles yelling from the bench.

GAME OVER, NOTES

• Crew defenders defend with their hands out like basketball players. Two handed in the box yesterday. Only Gehrig was called. Outside of that, the Crew halfback and centerbacks did what was asked and played well.

• Columbus doesn't have a RB or LB capable of creating overlapping wing play that Warzycha wants.

• With the style of play Crew and Union play, I'll be surprised if either team has anyone left standing by the end of the year.